Case Number 10042

NYPD BLUE: SEASON THREE

The Charge

"You don't often encounter this form of suicide." -- Detective
Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), remarking on the discovery of a decapitated body.

Opening Statement

NYPD Blue is one of the defining television series of the 1990s, and
Season 3 exhibits all the reasons why: every episode is solid, each character
has an engaging story arc, and the tales told aren't afraid to go where they
need to for the sake of authenticity. It's sometimes a dark trip, but it's worth
reachin' out for.

Facts of the Case

Things start off with a bang, as Detective James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro)
gets shot before the opening credits of the first episode. The drama extends to
the rest of the detective squad, as Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits, The West
Wing) rekindles his relationship with recovering alcoholic Diane Russell
(Kim Delaney), Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) starts living at the station house
when his wife kicks him out, and Adrienne Lesniak (Justine Miceli) struggles
with her sexuality.

The anchor of the show has always been Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz, Body
Double), and he gets the most to do here. He fumbles his way through his
wife's pregnancy, having been in the throes of alcoholism during his first son's
gestation. He sponsors Diane in AA. He proudly gives lessons to his grown son,
now a new recruit, on being a good cop. And he suffers a devastating personal
tragedy that drives him so close to the edge of self-destruction that two wheels
are off the ground.

The Evidence

Dennis Franz must have done something pretty great in a previous life,
because the role of Andy Sipowicz is about as meaty a prime rib roast of a part
an actor could ever hope for. A walking personality conflict, Sipowicz can make
you laugh, make you cry, and make you angry. He's come a long way from the
barely-off-the-booze, abrasive, foul-mouthed bear he was at the beginning of
Season 1, but the roots are still there, just below the surface. In Episode 10,
"The Blackboard Jungle," Sipowicz throws a racial slur back at a black
suspect, in front of a reporter, then is stunned that his boss and partner take
offense -- his showdown with Lieutenant Fancy (James McDaniel) is uncomfortable
and raw, returning to the edgy territory the show traversed so controversially
in Season 1. And when Andy loses someone close to him in "A Death in the
Family," it's the most intensely sad, heartbreaking hour of television I've
ever seen -- it's so heavy you could throw it into the back of your truck for
traction.

All the acting is straight-up great, and every character gets at least a
couple of episodes with some time in the spotlight. It's interesting to spot a
few future stars who show up as suspects and witnesses: Magnolia's Melora
Walters, Boomtown's Neal McDonough, Daniel von Bargen (Lord of
Illusions), Jenna Elfman (Keeping the Faith), and
perpetually-hyperventilating Leland Orser (Se7en) all make
appearances.

By this season, the show had really gotten into a groove, and it shows. The
camera work, always kinetic and voyeuristic, has calmed down a bit, and there's
a lot less gratuitous nudity thrown in for the sake of keeping the censors on
their toes. The writers had attracted their audience, now they could just
provide solid entertainment week after week, without worrying about being
sensational. Not to say it's become sanitized for your protection; storylines
remain as gritty as sandpaper, language pushes the boundary of what you can say
on television, and yes, occasionally the saxophone plays over taut bodies
romping around in bed. But the show had nothing to prove, and the confidence
shows.

It's a melodrama, and very tied to it's "one episode = one day"
format, but within that structure it manages to provide lots of surprises -- and
some genuine emotion that might just have you breaking out the hanky.

Fox changed horses mid-stream with regards to the packaging this season,
abandoning the cardboard fold-out style of the first two seasons for a cardboard
sleeve with two ultra-thin cases inside, each housing two double-sided discs;
the whole season is barely wider than a standard DVD case. Admittedly I was
disappointed to see the new design, since its predecessor was so substantial,
but it quickly grew on me -- with the increasing popularity of TV on DVD,
collectors' shelf space would be well served if more shows decided to go this
route.

Picture quality is top notch; the discs have been transferred at an
impressively high bit rate, really showing off the naturalistic lighting
schemes. Sound, too, is well represented, with the standard 2-channel Dolby
Surround mix delivering clear dialogue and a nice bit of ambiance around the
room. It's hard to believe this is eleven years old.

Special Features are sparse, but of reasonable quality. The two audio
commentaries, one from director Michael Robin, and another featuring actor
Gordon Clapp and director Randall Zisk, are mostly comprised of describing the
action on scene, but there are a number of interesting tidbits in each. Three
featurettes are also included: "Life in the 15th Precinct" (10
minutes), "Father and Son" (17 minutes), and "Women of NYPD
Blue" (14 minutes) are all well made, and provide valuable context.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Although she's well acted, the character of Lesniak is all over the place --
a fact conceded by series creator Steven Bochco in one of the featurettes. The
writers weren't sure where she was going, so she's a lesbian in one episode, and
Martinez' jealous girlfriend two episodes later.

And as good as the picture looks, there is some artificial edge enhancement,
resulting in shimmering on some shots of fences, dress shirts with thin stripes,
and the like.

Closing Statement

There's a reason NYPD Blue was an Emmy magnet during its time on the
air (Dennis Franz won for Outstanding Lead Actor for this season): it's the
benchmark for cop drama, hands down. A recommended purchase.